This invention relates to apparatus for feeding fasteners such as screws to an automatic assembly machine or the like and for orienting the screws into proper positions as the screws are fed and before the screws reach the machine.
One type of a feeding and orienting apparatus is disclosed in Dixon U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,547 and includes a bowl which is vibrated to cause randomly oriented screws to move out of the bowl and toward the assembly machine, the vibration causing the screws to assume properly oriented positions as the screws move out of the bowl. Once the screws have moved out of the bowl, they are delivered to a downwardly inclined track and are supplied to the assembly machine. A rotatable clearing wheel is mounted above the track and includes radially projecting fingers which engage the screws the fling any misoriented screws from the track while also causing the screws to proceed properly down the track.
Another type of vibratory feeding apparatus is disclosed in Dixon U.S. Pat. No. 3,346,095 and includes a track which is vibrated back and forth to cause the screws to move along the track.